Automatic can changing apparatus



June 20, 1961 SHQZO NQDA' 2,988,785

AUTOMATIC CAN CHANGING APPARATUS Filed May 14, 1956 Fiywlv 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 7:27 wllllll/l lllllllllll/l ly Ild WWW/1 'Il'll/l/ IWIIIIIIIIII4I% J r J J June 20, 1961 SHOZO NODA 2,988,785

AUTOMATIC CAN CHANGING APPARATUS Filed May 14, 1956 4 Sheets$heet 2 June 20, 1961 SHOZO NQDA 2,988,785

AUTOMATIC CAN CHANGING APPARATUS Filed May 14, 1956 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 2g 2Z9, 6v

June 20, 1961 SHOZO NODA AUTOMATIC CAN CHANGING APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed May 14, 1956 United States Patent 2,988,785 AUTOMATIC CAN CHANGING APPARATUS Shozo Neda, Nagoya-shi, Japan, assignor to Howa Kogyo Kabushiki-Kaisha, Shinkawa-machi, Nishi-Kasugai-gun, Aichi-Ken, Japan Filed May 14, 1956, Ser. No. 584,768

Claims priority, application Japan May 17, 1955 6 Claims. (Cl. 19159) This invention relates to an apparatus or automatic sliver packing machine capable of automatically replacing a full can by an empty can and more particularly to an apparatus, whereby cans fully packed with sliver are automatically removed from the can table after the sliver has been cut and then other empty cans are automatically placed on the can tab-1e or support at a proper position where they may be filled with coiled sliver.

According to this invention packing of cans with sliver is so carried out that the can center may be transferred along a predetermined path and disposed eccentric to the coiling circle without rotation of the cans themselves.

In order to properly pack sliver in a can it is desirable that the sliver be packaged in superposed coils substantially of equal diameter without coiling them in a spiral. Accordingly the coiling device must cooperate with the can support means in assuring this type of coiling. In order to assure that the coils are not spirals the can itself must be moved by the support means in proper timed relationship with the coiling means.

It is a feature of the automatic sliver packing machine according to the invention that the can support means tions between full cans, empty cans, can support table moves in a circular path while the can into which the sliver is being coiled remains on the support means without movement relative to it during the coiling operation.

Another feature is that the machine is applicable to the packing of a single sliver or two slivers which may be handled or packed by the machine in parallel so that the invention is equally applicable to com-ber, carding engine or drawing frame.

An important object of this invention is to obtain an apparatus, in which a travelling reciprocable table for effecting the change of cans in the machine is mounted upon the can table or support which moves along a circular path and the travelling table being reciprocated longitudinally so that an empty can on the travelling table pushes out the full can from the can support means and the pushing force is caused by said reciprocating motion of the travelling table.

Another object of this invention is to provide an apparatus, in which a reciprocable table mounted on the rotative can table can be reciprocated along the can table at any time during the operation cycle of said can table or support means.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an apparatus which is provided with a starting device capable of operating the travelling table at the proper time when a can being packed with sliver is fully packed and the can change is made necessary.

Another object of this invention is to provide an apparatus, in which two pairs of calender rolls are located above the tube wheel or coiling device andthe sliver cutting is carried out by stopping the first pair'of said calender rolls for a short time at the time most suitable for cutting the sliver. I

The novel features of this invention are set-forth with particularity in the appended claims. This invention,

however, both as to its construction and operation together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 4 are, respectively, side views partly 2,988,785 Patented June 2 0, 1961 ree in section showing four diiferent states or relative posiand travelling reciprocable table.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an embodiment according to this invention.

FIG. 6 is a vertically sectioned side view showing on an enlarged scale a part of the apparatus illustrated in FIG. 5.

' FIG. 7 is a side view of the cam part of the apparatus illustrated in FIG. 5.

FIGS. 8, 9 and 10 are, respectively, side views on an enlarged scale showing three different positions of the cam in the apparatus illustrated in FIG. 5.

FIG. 11 is an enlarged front view of the bevel gear 37 in the apparatus illustrated in FIG. 5.

FIG. 12 is a side view of the device forprotecting the filled cans from side shifting'thereof.

FIGS. 13, 14 and 15 are, respectively, enlarged side views showing three different states or positions of the clutch mechanism in the apparatus illustrated in FIG. 5, partly sectioned.

Referring to FIGS. l-4, a can A being packed with a sliver fed through a coiling device comprising a tube wheel 1 and an empty can B to replace said can A after being packed with sliver packing are mounted on a can table 2. The table or support means is oscillated along a circular path, whereby said cans are oscillated along said path without their rotation. Accordingly, the sliver coiled due to the tube wheel 1 can be packed into the cans A in the form of a doughnut without twisting of said coiled sliver.

According to this invention, in order to remove can A after it is fully packed with sliver out of the position just below the tube wheel 1 and in order to place the empty can B at this position, without stopping the coiling motion and without relation to the relative position between the coiling tube wheel 1 and the table 2, the empty can B is so pushed towards the full can A by means of a travelling table 3 mounted on the can table 2 as to push said can A. During said pushing motion the sliver is mechanically cut and theend of said cut sliver drops into the can by gravity. During the can-changing operation, the cans A and B take successively the positions shown in FIGS. 1-4.

That is to say, the full can A pushed out from the can table 2 is again pushed by the next oscillation of the can table 2, whereby said full can A is disposed in a position where it is capable of being transported by an operator.

According to the above-mentioned construction, the travelling table 3 can carry out the can-changing operation without stopping the oscillation of the can table 2 and without relation to the relative position between said table and the tube or coiling wheel 1 during said changing operation. I

The apparatus of this invention is provided with a suitable mechanism which can operate the travelling table 3 and can cut sliver so that such can-changing motion as described already may be performed. A11 embodiment of said mechanism is shown in FIG. 5. Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6 the tube wheel 1 provided with teeth at its outer periphery as shown is driven by a vertical driving shaft 7 through a pinion gear 8 attached to said shaft at its upper part. At the position above the tube wheel 1 are arranged two pairs of calender rolls 9 and 10, said rolls 9 being driven by said driving shaft 7 through a bevel gear 27 attached to the upper end of said shaft and a bevel gear 27' attached to the shaft of a calender roll 9, and said rolls 10 being driven by said shaft 7 through. said bevel gears (27, 27'), pinion gear 28 attached to the: shaft of said gear 27', pinion gear 56 and pinion gear 57' which is coupled with the shaft of a calender roll 10,.

3 said coupling being described later in connection with the construction shown in FIGS. 13-15.

Three sprocket wheels 15, 16 and 17 having the same number of teeth are rotatably arranged at the end positions of a triangle and with said wheels is meshed a driving chain 18. Said sprocket wheel is driven by the driving shaft 7 through bevel gears 11, 12, a worm 13 attached to the shaft of gear 12, and a worm wheel 14 attached to the shaft of wheel 15, so that the sprocket wheels -16 and 17 are driven by the driving chain 1 8 together with the sprocket wheel 15. Each of the vertical studs 19, 20 and 21 is eccentrically supported by each of the shafts of the sprocket wheels 15, 16 and 17, respectively, so that the can support table 2 mounted on said studs 19 and 20 is oscillated along a circular path in accordance with rotation of the sprocket wheels 15 and 16 in timed relationship with coiling means 1. As described already, on the can support table 2 are carried the individual cans such as can A being packed with sliver and emtpy cans such as can B.

On table 2 is mounted a travelling table 3 so constructed as to be reciprocated to push the packed can A by the empty can B on said table 3, to the rear surface of said table 3 fixed to a rack 22. A spur gear 23 is supported by stud 23 of the rotating can table 2 so that the gear meshes with the rack and a spur gear 24 which is supported by a stud or pin 21.

A pinion gear 24' is attached to gear 24 and cooperates with a pinion gear 26 through a carrier or idler gear 25 which is supported by a bracket 44. The pinion gear 26 is supported by the bracket 44 so that its is concentric with the sprocket wheel 17 and so that it meshes with the gear 25.

According to the above-mentioned construction, the pinion gear 26 is concentric with the sprocket wheel 17 and the spur gears 24 and 24' are so supported by the stud 21, integral with the shaft of the gear 24, as to take the same relative position as the relative position between the sprocket wheel 15 and the stud 19 or between the sprocket wheel 16 and the stud 20, so that when the can support table 2 is oscillated along a circular path, the gears 24, 25 are moved along a circular path around the shaft of the pinion gear 26, while the gear 25 is maintained in a meshed state with the gear 26, in the same manner with the circular oscillating motion of said table 2. However, when the gear 26 is stationary, during the above revolution of the gears 24, 24 and 25 only the gear 25 makes its idle rotation, but the gear 24' itself does not rotate around its shaft, so that gear 23 does not rotate and the rack 22 is accordingly not reciprocated.

If, however, the pinion gear 26 is forcibly rotated by any driving power, the rack 22 is moved by said pinion gear 26 through idler gear 25, gears 24, 24 and the spur gear 23, so that the travelling table 3 is transferred for a distance corresponding to the rotation of the pinion gear 26. The above-mentioned motion is also carried out during the motion of the table 2.

Accordingly, when the rack 22 is so driven by the pinion gear .26 that the travelling table 3 can be reciprocated from the position in FIG. 1 to the position in FIG. 4 through the positions in FIGS. 2 and 3, a can charge will be eifectively carried out.

For carrying out the can change by operation of the pinion gear 26 at the time when the can A is fully packed with sliver, the mechanism is constructed so that the time necessary for one rotation of a cam 30 is equal to the time necessary for packing the empty cans fully with sliver. The shaft of this cam is driven by the main driving shaft 4 through a gear device 45, shaft 46 and a worm gear device 47, and said shaft 4 is driven through a gear 45 by means not shown.

A vertically slidable block 31 is so supported in a guide member 3 1 as to be pushed down on the cam surface of the cam 30 by means of a spring 32, so that said block 31 4 t is pushed upwards against the force of said spring for each rotation of said cam and is urged down suddenly by the spring 32 as soon as the projected part of said cam detaches from the lower edge of said block. The relative motions between said block 31 and cam 30 are shown in FIGS. 7, 8, 9 and 10. During the downward motion of the block 31, a hammering finger 33 fixed to the block 31 moves downwardly the pin 34 fixed to the lever 35 so as to cause said lever to rotate clockwise. By said rotation of the lever 35 is rotated a shaft 36, in a clockwise direction, which is coupled with said lever 35, thereby the bevel gear 37 having a part C without teeth (FIG. 11) is speedily rotated clockwise. The shaft 36 is so coupled to the lever 35 as to be rotated clockwise by said lever, but being free to rotate freely without relation to said lever because of a ratchet coupling arrangement shown in FIG. 7, in which a hook piece 36 is pivoted to the shaft 36 and slant teeth 35 are so provided on said lever 35 as to accompany said hook piece 36 in the clockwise direction thereof.

The bevel gear 37 is so arranged as to mesh with the teeth of another bevel gear 38 during rotation of said shaft 36. The gear 38 is continuously driven by the driving shaft 7 through the pinion gears 48 and 49, so that the lever 39 attached rigidly to the shaft 36 is forcibly rotated during the meshing between the gears 37 and 38. A slide rack 41 is reciprocated once per rotation of the lever 39 through a connecting rod 40, thereby a pinion 42 meshing with said rack rotates. Then a bevel gear 43 fixed to the shaft of said pinion 42 rotates a bevel gear 43' which is concentrically fixed to the pinion gear 26, whereby a reciprocating motion of the traveling table 3 as heretofore described will be obtained.

In the apparatus illustrated in FIG. 5 is shown a construction in which the cam 30 is continuously rotated, but it may be intermittently driven by any other driving systern to make the length of sliver more accurate. Furthermore, for driving the pinion 42, a sector gear which meshes with said pinion 42 may be reciprocated by such connecting rod as shown by rod in FIG. 5.

In FIG. 12 is shown an example of a stop device G for keeping the full cans from returning during the return motion of the travelling table 3. Said stop G is composed of a pin 63 having a slanted upper face as shown and a spring 64 constantly biasing said pin so that it projects out of a hole of the table 2.

In order to cut the sliver, two pairs of calendar rolls 9 and 10 are arranged above the tube wheel 1 as shown in FIG. 5. The cutting operation is carried out by stopping the upper pair of calender rolls for a short interval of time, the cut is effected since the sliver passing through the upper and lower calender rolls is stopped by the upper calender rolls 10 while being pulled downwards through the lower calender rolls 9.

In general, when the diameter of the calender rolls is 2", it is only necessary to rotate the lower calender rolls 9 by the following angle to cut completely the sliver while simultaneously stopping the rolls 10.

130 for cotton 200 for 2" cut staple 250 for 3" cut staple According to said cutting manner, the cut end is very short as compared with any other method heretofore in use.

Said sliver cutting system reduces the tendency of sliver being lapped up around the calender rolls, whereby the sliver will be eifectively protected from being clogged in the tube wheel as is the case when it gets caught in the rolls and they tend to pull it out of the can instead of delivering it thereto.

An example of said cutting mechanism is shown in FIG. 5 and FIGS. 13-15. Said mechanism is composed of a push rod capable of being pushed upwards by the clockwise rotation of the lever 35, a conical cap 51 attached to the upper end of said rod 50, a bell crank lever 52 which is so supported as to be rotated counterclockwise when it is pushed by said cap 51, a stop 53 carried by shaft 54 which is provided with a notch D in which the free end B of the bell crank lever 52 can engage when said shaft 54 is in a normal position and said lever 52 is in its normal condition, not pushed by the cap 51, and a spring 55 pushing said shaft 54 into a clutch-operating position later herein described.

The calender gear 57 is attached loosely on the shaft of a calender roll as to be constantly biased by a spring 60 towards a clutch 61 enageable with a clutch 59 attached rigidly to said gear 57 and is provided with a cam groove 58. The clutch 61 is fixed to the shaft of the calender roll 10.

When the clutch member 59 is rotated during the engagement of means 53 with cam groove 58 as shown in FIG. 14, said stop 55 engages the part G of the cam groove 58 and the clutch member 59 is pushed toward the left against the force of the spring 60 by the cam face F of said cam groove 58,, whereby the clutch member 59 disengages itself from the clutch 61 and the calender roll 10 stops. The distance of said leftward shifting is selected so that the idler gear 56 may not get out of its engagement with the calender gear 57, so that the cam groove 58 continues its rotation even when the clutch 59 detaches itself from the clutch 61. Accordingly, on the next revolution'of member 59 the stop 53 is pushed outwardly by the projection 62 adjacent the cam groove 58 to a disengaged position as shown in FIG. 15. As soon as the stop 53 takes said position, the clutch 59 is pushed towards the clutch 61 by the force of the spring 60, thereby the. clutch member 59 is engaged with the clutch member 61 and the end B of the bell crank lever 52 engages in the notch D of the shaft 54 to lock the said stop 53 in its normal disengaged position.

The reengagement between the notch D and the end part B is efiectively established, because the clockwise rotation of the lever 35 is carried out substantially instantaneously and the conical cap 5-1 is pushed downwardly by the spring 63 before reset of the shaft 54.

According to this invention, as is clearly understood from the above-mentioned description, sliver can be properly cut, empty cans can be automatically positioned for filling with sliver and sliver packing is carried out without twist thereof and filled cans are moved by the empty cans into a position for being removed automatically by conveyor means (not shown) or otherwise.

The present invention can be applied to not only packing of single sliver, but also of two slivers positioned side by side.

While I have described and shown particular embodiments of my invention, it will, of course, be understood that I do not wish to be limited thereto, since many modifications may be made and I, therefore, contemplate by the appended claims to cover all such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of my invention.

What I claim is:

1. In a sliver packing machine for packing sliver in cans, in combination, means for supporting a can thereon to be filled with sliver and for transporting the can in a predetermined substantially circular path while being filled with sliver, means for delivering at least one sliver longitudinally into the can on said support means substantially along a path corresponding to the circular path in which said can is carried and in timed relationship with the movement of said can along said substantially circular path thereby to coil the sliver into the can in superposed doughnut-shaped coils, automatic means for removing the can from said support means once it is filled with sliver and for replacing it with an empty can properly positioned on said support means for being automatically filled with sliver.

2, A sliver packing machine according to claim 1 ineluding means to cut the sliver once a can is filled and prior to its being removed from said support means by the can removing means.

3. A sliver packing machine according to claim 2, in which said sliver cutting means comprises two spaced pairs of rolls with the rolls of each pair arranged in trandem for passing the sliver between the rolls of each pair, and means to stop one pair of rolls While continuing to rotate the other pair of rolls through a predetermined angle thereby to cut the sliver.

4. In a sliver packing machine for packing sliver in cans, in combination, oscillatory means for supporting a first and second empty can thereon to be filled with sliver and for transporting the cans in a predetermined substantially circular path whilethe first can is being filled with sliver, rotative means for delivering at least one sliver longitudinally into said first can on said support means substantially along a path corresponding to the circular path in which said first can is carried and in timed relationship with the movement of said first can along said substantially circular path thereby to coil the sliver into the first can is superposed doughnut-shaped coils, reciprocable means mounted on said support means for automatically removing the first can from said support means once it is filled with sliver and for replacing it with said second empty can properly positioned on said support means for being automatically filled with sliver.

5. In a sliver packing machine for packing sliver in cans, in combination, means for supporting a first empty can and a second empty can thereon to be filled with sliver and for transporting the cans in a predetermined substantially circular path while the first can is being filled with sliver, means for delivering at least one sliver longitudinally into the first can on said support means substantially along a path corresponding to the circular path in which said first can is carried and in timed relationship with the movement of said first can along. said substantially circular path thereby to coil the sliver into the first can in superposed doughnut-shaped coils, automatic means mounted on said support for removing the first can from said support means once it is filled with sliver and for replacing it with said second empty can properly positioned on said support means for being automatically filled with sliver.

6. In a sliver packing machine for packing sliver in cans, in combination, means for supporting a first empty can and a second empty can thereon to be filled with sliver and for transporting the cans in a predetermined substantially circular path while the first can is being filled with sliver, means for delivering at least one sliver longitudinally into the first can on said support means substantially along a path corresponding to the circular path in which said can is carried and in timed relationship with the movement of said first can along said substantially circular path thereby to coil the sliver into the first can in superposed doughnut-shaped coils, means mounted on said support means for automatically removing the can from said support means once it is filled with sliver and for replacing it with said second empty can properly positioned on said support means for being automatically filled with sliver, and means for automatically cutting the sliver once a can is filled and prior to its removal from said support means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 271,155 Tatham Jan. 23, 1883 2,355,071 Hendrickson Aug. 8, 1944 2,441,774 Shaw et al. May 18, 1948 2,601,944 Hansen July 1, 1952 2,623,676 Baker et al. Dec. 30, 1952 2,666,959 Watson et al. Jan. 26, 1954 2,736,071 Forsythe et al. Feb. 28, 1956 2,753,099 Jenner et al July 3, 1956 

